![Our Jesse Tree]()
by Catherine | Dec 6, 2012 | Faith
Have you ever heard of a Jesse Tree? Until last year, I never knew the significance of the tree or the ornaments/images on the tree. In anticipation of Christmas, the Jesse Tree tells the story of Jesus’ family tree. Starting with the story of Creation and ending with Himself, the Jesse tree chronicles stories from the Old and New Testament, weaving together all of salvation history into a beautiful visual aid to help your family prepare for the birth of the Christ Child.
The story of Creation, Adam and Eve, and other Old Testament figures are aptly placed on the bottom (the “roots”) of the tree. As you place each ornament on the tree, read the Scripture passages about each story or person and reflect on their importance in salvation history.
One of our local Catholic bookstores sold this simple wooden Jesse Tree:
To make it a little more seasonal, Philip spray painted the honeycomb balls and base gold and the “branches” evergreen.
We found beautiful Jesse Tree ornament images on the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania webpage. Click here to download the PDF files of the ornaments. (Illustrations found on the ornaments are by Carolyn Pikoulas.) In addition to the beautiful ornaments, the Erie page provides a link to beautiful reflections and Scripture passages from Faith magazine by Anne-Marie Welsh to go along with each ornament.
I printed off the ornaments on white card stock, cut them out, cut holes with my hole punch, and strung metallic cord through them to hang on the tree. I found the metallic cord at a local craft store for $2 for several feet.
The Jesse Tree is a fun addition to our already existing Advent traditions. As the matriarch of our little family, I am trying to slowly add to the things we do each year during Advent. I keep reminding myself that there is no need to try to do it all anyway! We have yet to read through the Scripture passages and reflections accompanying the ornaments as a family. In full disclosure, I hung up the ornaments from the dove through the lamb all at once tonight because Philip finished assembling the tree last night.
We placed the Jesse Tree on our mantle in the family room so that little hands aren’t tempted to remove the ornaments. It’s a beautiful reminder of the “reason for the season” as well as all of the events that led up to the birth of the Christ Child.
As an added bonus, if you reflect long and hard on the wild and crazy stories in Jesus’ family tree, you might find reassurance and comfort that your own family tree looks pretty darn good by comparison!
I hope you are having a blessed start to your Advent!
![My Christmas Planner]()
by Catherine | Dec 2, 2012 | Faith, Family, The Homefront
In March, I created a Boucher Family Binder to serve as our family’s central information hub. Since creating that binder, life is much more organized and less stressful around here. To learn more about the forms and information contained in the binder, click on the link.
Much of the formatting I used for my family binder came from ideas in the book House Works: How to Live Clean, Green, and Organized at Home and the author’s website OrganizedHome.com.
When I created the family binder in March, I read about making a Christmas planner notebook to keep Christmas organized. I finally decided to tackle the project this week, and I am so thrilled I did!
I purchased a 1″ red D-ring binder at Walmart with clear pockets so that I could insert some scrapbook papers and stickers from JoAnn’s to make it a little more festive.
With a lot of brainstorming, I came up with all of the different categories I wanted to include in our family Christmas planner. I printed off a Table of Contents on some white cardstock and put labels on some plain white dividers.
Some of the forms are adaptations from OrganizedHome.com, others are directly from the site, and others are uniquely my own.
1. Budget
I created categories (gifts, charitable giving, decorations/lighting/home, food/entertaining, Christmas card/supplies) to keep the financial end of things organized and in balance. My hope is that this form will keep the Christmas season financially on-track! We’ll see if I prefer the paper and pen method or want to put it on Excel next year.
2. Master Gift List
I created this form with spots for your spouse, children, and non-family gift recipients to keep track of what you bought, where you got it, whether you already purchased it or had it delivered, whether you wrapped it, how much it cost, and your running total of how much you spent.
Our family does an adult gift exchange, and the grandchildren exchange a book. I created a separate form for future years with names to cut out for the draw and a fillable list of the gift givers and gift recipients. (My version has the family member’s names filled in.)
3. Stocking Stuffers
Philip and I are still playing around with the idea of starting a tradition with the stockings to make it a little simpler. We might fill them with winter jammies and a book each year to be opened, worn, and read on Christmas Eve. That way, there’s no need to buy a bunch of little things for each family member!
For now, I created this form to keep track of all of the little stuffers for each family member to make sure that everyone gets roughly the same amount.
4. Room-By-Room Décor
To make “decking the halls” and un-decking the halls after the Christmas season less stressful, I created this category and form. It’s a room-by-room guide of what décor I have, where I place it, and where it’s stored. My brilliant husband suggested taking photos of each room and the different arrangements and keeping the photo album in my “Christmas Planner” folder on the computer.
5. Menus/Recipes
Here’s the central hub for the go-to and favorite brunch, dinner, goodies, and other Christmas-related recipes. I’m in the process of compiling these items, so I don’t actually have the forms yet. I will separate the items by category and include the hard copies of recipes or the websites where they can be found. I know I will be glad to have all of the recipes finally compiled in one spot! No more searching for “that one cookie recipe!”
6. Our Holiday Traditions
This is the place to list and describe the different things your family does that makes Christmas uniquely yours. For our family, this section includes things like: how we use the Advent Wreath and Jesse Tree, visiting an area parish’s local living Nativity, celebrating St. Nick’s day (December 6th), Bernie (Our Catholic Elf on the Shelf), gift exchange, baking goodies for neighbors, singing “Happy Birthday” and eating birthday cake for Jesus, visiting the botanical garden poinsettia display, etc.
7. Advent Wreath
Philip gave me a beautiful Advent wreath with candles for my birthday (November 26th) last year. We decided to put the Advent wreath on the kitchen table this year, and we’re using Lisa Hendey’s O Radiant Dawn: 5-Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath to lead our prayers after dinner.
I also collected and printed off copies of the Christmas songs we sing around the Advent wreath as a family.
8. Jesse Tree
I printed off the corresponding Scripture verses (Revised Standard Version) and reflections to read as we place each of the 25 ornaments on our brand new Jesse Tree. (More to come on that another time!)
9. Ornament Journal
If you’re like me, you struggle to keep straight who gave who which ornament, and you want to remember those little details when you unwrap the treasures that go on your tree. This is a central hub to record information about those ornaments to (hopefully!) be passed down to future generations.
10. Holiday Favorites
This form, directly from
OrganizedHome.com, is a place to keep track of favorite Christmastime movies, books, music, and a wish list.
11. Recipes to Try
When I find a recipe I might want to try next year from a magazine, I tear it out and put it in here. If I see a recipe on Pinterest or somewhere else online, I’ll jot down a description of the item and the website where I found it. If this section gets big enough, I’ll categorize the items.
12. Craft Projects
The place to put fun craft ideas to make with your family. My Christmas Pinterest page is bringing me all kinds of inspiration. I’ll list the winners in this section!
13. Entertaining
This is the place to include things like: buffet layout ideas, bar set-up, music playlist names/Pandora stations, Christmas Minute to Win It games, menus, etc.
14. Christmas Card
We made a Christmas card and included a letter for the past few years. With all of the chaos of this last month, we didn’t get around to making a card or writing a letter, so we sadly won’t be sending one this year. Maybe I’ll still write a letter and post it on my blog.
This section of the planner is the place where I’ll archive old letters/cards, store favorites from friends and family, keep the list of recipients, and record prices and shopping information for cards and stationery.
15. Post-Holiday Debriefing
Perhaps this is the teacher in me that wants to evaluate how things went, but I’m excited about the Christmas debriefing form. This form, directly from OrganizedHome.com, is the place to “record the highs and lows of the season just past. Stored in your Christmas planner, it’ll guide you toward more satisfying, less stressful holidays next year!” It includes questions to get you thinking about what worked, what didn’t, and what you can do to make next year more enjoyable for you and your entire family.
That’s it–for now! As I use the Christmas planner and celebrate the Christmas season with our family, I’m sure I’ll learn that some things in the planner need revision or that we need to add more categories.
Is there anything you think my Christmas planner is missing? Please suggest additional categories or any revisions.
I created a Google docs page for anyone interested in using my forms. You can access all of the forms here and print them off for your own use.
I hope they help to make your Christmas season more organized and give you time to focus on what really matters–growing in holiness and sharing Christ’s love alongside your loved ones as you prepare for Christ’s birth. I hope that you and your family have a blessed Advent and Christmas!
![My 28th Birthday]()
by Catherine | Nov 26, 2012 | Faith, Family
Last night, after we finished our nightly reading of Magnificat and said our prayers, Philip and I did our nightly check-in to see how the other was doing. We both said that we were mostly feeling numb and that the sadness is starting to creep in. Now that we’re not consumed with my physical recovery or preparing for Thanksgiving, we have time to process everything that happened this month. When it was my turn, I rattled off my emotions:
- I’m sad that we lost our baby, Thérèse.
- I’m happy that she’s our beautiful saint in heaven who can intercede for our family and propel us to meet her there one day.
- I’m glad we are gathering our family to say the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary and have her buried in a Catholic cemetery.
- I feel strange just entering into the grief since most people have stopped asking about losing Thérèse, and I suppose I’ve allowed how other people are acting to determine how I’m feeling.
- I’m anxious to try to have another baby and impatient with our 3-month waiting period.
- I’m praying for the ability to be present now and find the graces in this waiting time.
- I’m excited to celebrate Advent with our family.
After blabbering for a few minutes, I sighed and asked Philip to cheer me up. We were laying on our tummies, facing each other, and he asked, “Want me to play with your hair and tell you sweet things?” He said how happy he is that we added “God bless baby Thérèse in heaven” to our nighttime prayers so that the children will never remember not praying for her or asking for her intercession. He said how neat it will be when they are old enough to understand that their sibling is a saint in heaven. He said how excited he was to celebrate my birthday as a family the next day, and I could tell by his vague description of the day that he had a few surprises up his sleeve. We gave each other a hug and a kiss and dozed off to sleep.
This morning, I woke up to the smell of coffee and heard the bedroom door open. I heard Philip whisper, “Tell Mommy, ‘Happy Birthday!'” Little Janie climbed in bed next to me, and Philip stood over my bed, holding Walt. Janie wished me a happy birthday and gave me a big kiss on the cheek.
I didn’t know it yet, but Philip, sly husband that he is, woke up early, got ready, went out to get donuts (my favorites–apple fritters and long johns), came back, got the kids up and dressed, and the three came in to get me for breakfast. When I walked out to the kitchen, fresh coffee, milk, and donuts were on the counter next to birthday cards and presents.
Philip told me to take a seat while he situated the kids and got them started on breakfast. He handed me my birthday cards to open–one from the kids, and the other from him. Of course, they both made me tear up!
Next, Philip told me to open my presents. I am so excited to announce that I am now the proud owner of a Scotch Thermal Laminator and a huge pack of thermal pouches! YESSSSS!!! Laugh all you want, but this mama is over the moon happy about this present. My ABC 123 Pinterest board full of things to laminate for preschool-ish learning activities and games can now come to fruition! I can’t wait to make all of those fun things. First on my list is a printable Nativity set to cut out and make into magnets for the fridge.
Philip had to leave to go to work, so we exchanged hugs and kisses and wished each other a great day. The kids and I got ready for my young mothers group that meets at our parish on Monday mornings. As I hopped out of the shower, Janie came to the door to announce, “Mama! It’s SNOWING!”
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| Don’t mind the beer bottles or coolers. Our fridge broke, and we’re living out of coolers until our new fridge arrives on Thursday! |
Sure enough, I walked out to the family room in my wrap towel to see beautiful white snowflakes coming down. Almost instan
tly, I teared up. I knew this little gift was a present from our Little Flower, Thérèse.
Let me explain the connection…This summer, I started reading St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s autobiography, Story of a Soul, on my Kindle Fire. (By the way, it’s a free ebook on Kindle in case you’re interested.) I know that reading her autobiography helped me to develop a fondness for the Little Flower.
In her autobiography, St. Thérèse recounts the story of her clothing day (one of the steps on her way to entering Carmel and professing her vows as a Carmelite nun). She writes to “dear Mother,” her religious superior who asked her to pen the autobiography as a testament to her sanctity. The part that instantly stood out in my mind as I watched the snowflakes fall on our deck this morning was the story of her prayer to Jesus, her Bridgegroom, for snow on her clothing day.
Do you remember my telling you, dear Mother, how fond I am of snow? While I was still quite small, its whiteness entranced me. Why had I such a fancy for snow? Perhaps it was because, being a little winter flower, my eyes first saw the earth clad in its beautiful white mantle. So, on my clothing day, I wished to see it decked, like myself, in spotless white. The weather was so mild that it might have been spring, and I no longer dared hope for snow. The morning of the feast brought no change and I gave up my childish desire, as impossible to be realized…
The instant I set foot in the enclosure (the courtyard outside of the Church) again my eyes fell on the statue of the Child Jesus smiling on me amid the flowers and lights; then, turning towards the quadrangle, I saw that, in spite of the mildness of the weather, it was covered with snow. What a delicate attention on the part of Jesus! Gratifying the least wish of His little Spouse, He even sent her this. Where is the creature so mighty that he can make one flake of it fall to please his beloved?
The snowflakes this morning marked the first snow for this winter. It has been uncharacteristically warm this fall, and the rest of this week looks to be warm as well. When I saw the flakes falling this morning, tears poured out of my eyes, and I said a silent prayer, thanking God for the beautiful mantle of white to remind me in my sadness that my own Little Flower was still very much with me and interceding for me on my behalf from heaven.
At the end of my young mothers meeting at church this morning, my dear friend, Nicole, gave me a card and an envelope, wishing me a happy birthday and saying that it was a small gift she knew was meant for me. We were busy bundling up our kids so she stuck it in my diaper bag and we didn’t have a chance to have a real goodbye, but she’s the kind of friend who doesn’t need a proper goodbye to know that I love her.
As we walked through the church narthex, I asked the kids if they wanted to “say ‘hi’ to Jesus in the castle” (Janie’s name for the adoration chapel where the consecrated hosts are stored in an ornate tablernacle that looks like a gilded fortress). We peeked through the glass doors since someone was praying silently inside. Janie whispered, “Hi, Jesus!” and said she wanted to see “Boy Jesus” (the Child Jesus statue in the church courtyard). We opened the church doors to reveal a snow-covered courtyard. Just like on St. Thérèse’s clothing day, our own parish statue of the Child Jesus was smiling on us amid the snow-covered flowers.
When I got home, I opened the beautiful card from my friend that included “a little story” about my present:
I love to vintage shop and was searching on my favorite seller on Etsy. They listed a vintage Italian Rosary and got me interested right away! I then see that it has St. Thérèse on it and immediately thought it might be something nice for you. I order it, and then get this “strange” feeling. I look up on Google, what is the Emerald the birthstone for (the stones used in the vintage Rosary) and find out MAY! (Thérèse was due in May.) I said a prayer of thanks as I truly felt your little angel saying that “This is something my momma needs!” I hope you can use this during times of sorrow, joy, peace and growth to remember your blessing of Thérèse in prayer. Love you!
I know I will be praying the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary with my family in honor of Thérèse with this beautiful gift.
The most important lesson I learned
this year is that God is Love and that He knows better than I ever will what is best for me or my loved ones. Good Father that He is, He won’t always give me what I ask for, and if He does, it won’t necessarily be on my timeline. Nonetheless, I am learning to place my trust in His will for me and my family. The simple prayer, “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You,” got me through losing Thérèse, and I know it will get me through the rest of my life.
Much like the anonymous Confederate soldier who wrote “A Soldier’s Prayer,” I feel “almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am among all men most richly blessed.”
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve,
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey….
I asked for health, that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things….
I asked for riches, that I might be happy,
I was given poverty, that I might be wise….
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God….
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life,
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things….
I got nothing that I asked for –
but everything that I had hoped for,
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.
Thank you to my dear friends and family for lifting me up and bringing my life countless blessings. You were the Body of Christ to me this last month–His lips in your sweet words of truth, His feet when you came to visit, His arms in your embraces, His hands in your preparation of meals or care for our children. I pray that I may somehow reveal the Body of Christ to you in my 28th year and beyond.
![Bernie, our Catholic Elf on the Shelf]()
by Catherine | Nov 22, 2012 | Faith
Do you know about the Elf On The Shelf?
Year after year, children and adults alike are baffled by the mystery of how Santa really knows who’s been naughty or nice. After much urging by the elves and Mrs. Claus, Santa has allowed his biggest secret to be revealed in The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. At the start of each Christmas season, the elf appears to serve as Santa’s eyes and ears, traveling back to the North Pole each and every night to make a detailed report of the day’s activities. This keepsake gift set includes a light skin, blue eyed boy North Pole pixie scout elf and a hardbound watercolor picture book. Children can register their elf online to receive an official adoption certificate and a special letter from Santa.
We ordered our Elf on the Shelf last week, and he arrived yesterday afternoon during naptime. Many families’ elves make their appearances on Thanksgiving. Our elf, Bernie, made his appearance on top of the refrigerator Wednesday night after dinner.
Janie immediately spotted him. “What’s THAT?!”
We explained that he is one of Santa’s elves and that his name is Bernie. He will come everyday to watch Janie and Walt, and he will leave at the end of each day to report their behavior to Santa–good and bad. When the kids wake up each day until Christmas, they will find Bernie in a new spot throughout the house. (They’ll find him tomorrow morning perched on top of the family room television.)
If parents are feeling really creative, they can find some fun ways to pose their elves throughout the house with a simple Google search.
After Christmas, Bernie returns to the North Pole to work at Santa’s workshop until the next year. However, depending on how the year goes until next Thanksgiving, I envision Bernie making surprise appearances to remind our children that their behavior (good and bad) matters outside of the Christmas season.
Philip and I keep revisiting the conversation of how we will balance the secular and religious as Christmas approaches. We decided there was no harm in bringing Santa to our home, having fun with an elf named Bernie that encourages good behavior, and watching our children’s anticipation of Christmas build.
Nonetheless, we decided we didn’t want them to think of Bernie the elf merely as a behavior monitor and the means of receiving gifts from Santa. We thought we’d add to Bernie’s responsibilities by making him the messenger of the meaning of Christmas. When we introduced the kids to Bernie tonight, we explained that Christmas is an exciting time to prepare for baby Jesus’ birthday and that Bernie will help us to learn about Jesus and His family. Bernie works for Santa, and Santa loves Jesus. That is the vision of Santa we hope to build for our children. We want them to think of Santa as a kind old man who adores the Christ Child and blesses good children who love the Lord. Bernie the elf might work for Santa, but Santa works for Jesus.
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| Statue from CatholicSupply.com |
To help teach Janie and Walt about Christmas, Bernie will present the children with a Little People’s nativity scene on Sunday morning.
We are buying our Little People nativity scene this Saturday during Small Business Saturday at our participating area Catholic bookstore. We want the children to be able to touch and play with the “big players” present at Christ’s birth so that they can better understand the story, and Bernie will introduce them to the children.
To help our children learn more about what Christmas is all about, Bernie the elf will deliver the ornaments for our Jesse Tree, the star for the top of our Christmas tree, and the Christ Child from the nativity scene. Bernie will join us to light the Advent Wreath, read Scripture, and pray at the dinner table. He will sit with us as we gather around the Nativity scene to sing Christmas carols. He will bring us invitations to go to special Christmas events such as a local parish’s living Nativity scene (complete with live animals). He will put out the ingredients to make the Christ Child a birthday cake to eat on Christmas Eve. (Maybe he’ll even make a snow angel in the flour on the countertop!)
We look forward to incorporating the Elf on the Shelf into our Christmas season in a fun, unique way for our family. We’re committed to keeping the excitement and fun a factor for our children, but we want to balance it with the reason we are celebrating Christmas–Christ Himself.
!["It is Right and Just"]()
by Catherine | Nov 13, 2012 | Faith
Philip’s parents generously offered to take the kids Saturday afternoon and bring them home Sunday afternoon so that we could have some much-needed time together. For the first time in a long time, we went to Mass without our children on a Sunday morning. Perhaps it was because we didn’t have our children around, or perhaps it was because I needed to hear God Sunday morning, but I felt like every single word of the Mass was meant for me today.
We arrived uncharacteristically early and had plenty of time to focus our minds in prayer before Mass began. I prayed for God to open my ears to hear His Word and to receive the message intended for me. I told God that I was anxious about the start of a new week. Sunday marked one week from my visit to the ER for severe blood loss that resulted in an emergency D&C. I prayed for God to help me to find patience, strength, and compassion toward others, especially Philip, our children, other family members, and our dear friends as we get back into our regular routine without Thérèse. I told God that I will need Him to help me to give to others in love even when I am hurting. I asked God to shoulder my worries that are either too big for me to handle or I am unable to do anything about.
As I sat back in our pew, waiting for Mass to begin, I found myself staring at the crucifix above the altar. I normally don’t pay much attention to the figures at Our Lord’s feet, but Sunday morning, I kept focusing on the faces of the Blessed Mother and the Apostle John. For whatever reason, their faces struck me. I kept thinking, “This must be the moment of greatest sorrow in their lives, but instead of looking into their hands or at the ground, they keep looking right at Him.”
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| Photo of our Church sanctuary |
As warm tears started to spill uncontrollably out of my eyes, I imitated the Blessed Mother and the Apostle John at Jesus’ feet. I kept my gaze on our crucified Lord. Philip handed me a stack of tissues that he fetched when he saw me tearing up, and people filled in all around us. I tried not to break focus through the tears. I prayed as I gazed into his sorrowful face. “Please, help me to love–even when it hurts.”
The choir leader asked us to open our hymnals to “Here I am, Lord.” I tend to get emotional during certain hymns at Mass anyway, but hearing the words in this song so soon after losing Thérèse overwhelmed me.
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my Word to them.
Whom shall I send?
As we sang, I thought, “I want to do Your will, but I need You to keep leading me. I am sorry for the times that I have turned away from You and caused You pain. Please break this heart of stone, and keep breaking this heart of stone until I have a ‘heart for love alone.'”
The Liturgy of the Word began, and I asked God to open my ears to hear His Word. In the First Reading (1 Kings 17:10-16), we heard about a poor widow and her son that were starving to the point of death. The prophet Elijah approached her, asking for a morsel of bread. She responded that she was going home to prepare their last meal and die. Elijah says to her, “Fear not; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make for yourself and your son.” At this point, I had to re-read the passage to make sure I heard it correctly. This poor widow told Elijah that she was going home to prepare a last meal for herself and her son before they died, and Elijah responded by asking her to bring him “a little cake” before going on home to die?! Nonetheless, we hear that the woman goes home and does exactly that, and “she, and he, and her household ate for many days.” Talk about faithfulness!
In the Psalm (Psalm 146: 7-10), we heard that the Lord executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets prisoners free, opens the eyes of the blind, lifts up those who are bowed down, loves the righteous, etc. and that He will reign forever for all generations.
In the Second Reading (Hebrews 9:24-28), we heard about Christ being “offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” At this point in the Mass, I realized that Christ’s face will be the first that Thérèse will see. Blessed be God forever!
In the Gospel Reading (Mark 12:38-44), we heard that Christ sat down opposite the treasury and invited His disciples to observe the wealthy and the poor put in their contributions. He pointed out a widow putting in two copper coins, and said to His disciples, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all th
ose who are contributing to the treasury. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living.”
I tried to piece the message together for myself, but the priest saying Mass gave a homily that I hope will stay with me forever. “It’s easy to give when we’re happy and things are going well. If I win a million dollars, maybe I’ll give ten thousand dollars to a charity, and maybe I’ll feel really good about myself. If I’m having a good day, it’s easy to be patient with my children. Those of you who are parents know that it’s a lot more difficult to be patient and loving toward your children when you’re having a bad day. Or, wives and husbands, employees and bosses, etc.” At this point, I thought the priest was talking directly to me. I was anxious about my ability to be loving and patient to others as I started a “back to normal” week without Thérèse. I knew I’d be hurting but that I’d need to go on doing my job as a wife and mother.
The priest turned to the readings and seamlessly strung them together. He said that the poor widow on the First Reading (1 Kings 17:10-16) and the Gospel (Mark 12:38-44) both “gave in their want.” They gave until it hurt. They gave in pain, in loving obedience, and in complete trust that the Lord would reward them.
He said when we’re hurting and we’re having a bad day, we won’t have the strength to love in this way unless we pray for the ability to do it. He said it’s “going into overdrive. You have to shift the gears in your car when you’re going up a mountain, and you have to shift into overdrive when you’re going up your own personal mountains.” Bring on the tears! Here I was, going up my biggest personal mountain yet. “It’s easy to give in times of surplus, but it’s when we give in our want that God really rewards us.” God knew I needed to give to my family in this time of want and that I needed Him to help me shift into overdrive.
The Mass continued, and I felt an overwhelming peace come over me. The Liturgy of the Eucharist began, and we prayed the Eucharistic preface.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right and just. (emphasis mine)
Since we started using the new translation last Advent, I’ve been struck by the response “It is right and just.” Until last Sunday’s readings and Father’s homily, I hadn’t internalized what the words “right and just” really meant or why we would say those words in preparation for receiving the Eucharist.
Then it hit me. I started a little internal monologue.
Of course it’s “right” to give thanks to God and lift up our hearts to Him, but why are we talking about it being “just”?
Well, what’s the virtue justice mean anyway?
Justice is giving to others what is due to them.
If God is our Creator and Love itself, then of course it’s just to worship Him.
So, why emphasize that it’s “right and just” to “give thanks to the Lord our God”?
If God is our all-knowing Creator and Love itself, then of course He knows what is best for us–even when it doesn’t make sense to our tiny little brains.
God loves Thérèse even more than I do, and my heart aches that I can’t have the life I envisioned with her, but God knows that this hurt is for a greater good. I might not understand it all now, and that’s okay, but in the meantime, it is “right and just” for me to “give thanks to the Lord our God” in my want. Like the widows in the readings, I need to “give (thanks) in my want” and remember that it is “right and just” to “give thanks to the Lord our God.”
How appropriate that I pieced the meaning of this prayer in preparation for the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith, which interestingly enough, actually means “thanksgiving.” Approaching that summit, I envisioned myself in that car “shifting into overdrive” like Father talked about in his homily. As I approached Christ in the Eucharist Sunday, I gave to Him in my want. I cried tears for our baby Thérèse, and I prayed, “God, in my want, accept our sweet Thérèse into Your heavenly kingdom. Help me to give thanks to You in my want, and help me to make my own life an offering to you.”
With that thought in mind, the choir director asked the congregation to open their hymnals to “The Cry of the Poor” for the Communion Hymn.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Blessed be the Lord.
I will bless the Lord at all times.
With praise every in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the Lord.
Who will hear the cry of the poor.
This time, I cried tears of joy in the knowledge that our loving God heard the cry of this poor servant.
![“It is Right and Just”]()
by Catherine | Nov 13, 2012 | Faith
Philip’s parents generously offered to take the kids Saturday afternoon and bring them home Sunday afternoon so that we could have some much-needed time together. For the first time in a long time, we went to Mass without our children on a Sunday morning. Perhaps it was because we didn’t have our children around, or perhaps it was because I needed to hear God Sunday morning, but I felt like every single word of the Mass was meant for me today.
We arrived uncharacteristically early and had plenty of time to focus our minds in prayer before Mass began. I prayed for God to open my ears to hear His Word and to receive the message intended for me. I told God that I was anxious about the start of a new week. Sunday marked one week from my visit to the ER for severe blood loss that resulted in an emergency D&C. I prayed for God to help me to find patience, strength, and compassion toward others, especially Philip, our children, other family members, and our dear friends as we get back into our regular routine without Thérèse. I told God that I will need Him to help me to give to others in love even when I am hurting. I asked God to shoulder my worries that are either too big for me to handle or I am unable to do anything about.
As I sat back in our pew, waiting for Mass to begin, I found myself staring at the crucifix above the altar. I normally don’t pay much attention to the figures at Our Lord’s feet, but Sunday morning, I kept focusing on the faces of the Blessed Mother and the Apostle John. For whatever reason, their faces struck me. I kept thinking, “This must be the moment of greatest sorrow in their lives, but instead of looking into their hands or at the ground, they keep looking right at Him.”
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| Photo of our Church sanctuary |
As warm tears started to spill uncontrollably out of my eyes, I imitated the Blessed Mother and the Apostle John at Jesus’ feet. I kept my gaze on our crucified Lord. Philip handed me a stack of tissues that he fetched when he saw me tearing up, and people filled in all around us. I tried not to break focus through the tears. I prayed as I gazed into his sorrowful face. “Please, help me to love–even when it hurts.”
The choir leader asked us to open our hymnals to “Here I am, Lord.” I tend to get emotional during certain hymns at Mass anyway, but hearing the words in this song so soon after losing Thérèse overwhelmed me.
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my Word to them.
Whom shall I send?
As we sang, I thought, “I want to do Your will, but I need You to keep leading me. I am sorry for the times that I have turned away from You and caused You pain. Please break this heart of stone, and keep breaking this heart of stone until I have a ‘heart for love alone.'”
The Liturgy of the Word began, and I asked God to open my ears to hear His Word. In the First Reading (1 Kings 17:10-16), we heard about a poor widow and her son that were starving to the point of death. The prophet Elijah approached her, asking for a morsel of bread. She responded that she was going home to prepare their last meal and die. Elijah says to her, “Fear not; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make for yourself and your son.” At this point, I had to re-read the passage to make sure I heard it correctly. This poor widow told Elijah that she was going home to prepare a last meal for herself and her son before they died, and Elijah responded by asking her to bring him “a little cake” before going on home to die?! Nonetheless, we hear that the woman goes home and does exactly that, and “she, and he, and her household ate for many days.” Talk about faithfulness!
In the Psalm (Psalm 146: 7-10), we heard that the Lord executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets prisoners free, opens the eyes of the blind, lifts up those who are bowed down, loves the righteous, etc. and that He will reign forever for all generations.
In the Second Reading (Hebrews 9:24-28), we heard about Christ being “offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” At this point in the Mass, I realized that Christ’s face will be the first that Thérèse will see. Blessed be God forever!
In the Gospel Reading (Mark 12:38-44), we heard that Christ sat down opposite the treasury and invited His disciples to observe the wealthy and the poor put in their contributions. He pointed out a widow putting in two copper coins, and said to His disciples, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living.”
I tried to piece the message together for myself, but the priest saying Mass gave a homily that I hope will stay with me forever. “It’s easy to give when we’re happy and things are going well. If I win a million dollars, maybe I’ll give ten thousand dollars to a charity, and maybe I’ll feel really good about myself. If I’m having a good day, it’s easy to be patient with my children. Those of you who are parents know that it’s a lot more difficult to be patient and loving toward your children when you’re having a bad day. Or, wives and husbands, employees and bosses, etc.” At this point, I thought the priest was talking directly to me. I was anxious about my ability to be loving and patient to others as I started a “back to normal” week without Thérèse. I knew I’d be hurting but that I’d need to go on doing my job as a wife and mother.
The priest turned to the readings and seamlessly strung them together. He said that the poor widow on the First Reading (1 Kings 17:10-16) and the Gospel (Mark 12:38-44) both “gave in their want.” They gave until it hurt. They gave in pain, in loving obedience, and in complete trust that the Lord would reward them.
He said when we’re hurting and we’re having a bad day, we won’t have the strength to love in this way unless we pray for the ability to do it. He said it’s “going into overdrive. You have to shift the gears in your car when you’re going up a mountain, and you have to shift into overdrive when you’re going up your own personal mountains.” Bring on the tears! Here I was, going up my biggest personal mountain yet. “It’s easy to give in times of surplus, but it’s when we give in our want that God really rewards us.” God knew I needed to give to my family in this time of want and that I needed Him to help me shift into overdrive.
The Mass continued, and I felt an overwhelming peace come over me. The Liturgy of the Eucharist began, and we prayed the Eucharistic preface.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right and just. (emphasis mine)
Since we started using the new translation last Advent, I’ve been struck by the response “It is right and just.” Until last Sunday’s readings and Father’s homily, I hadn’t internalized what the words “right and just” really meant or why we would say those words in preparation for receiving the Eucharist.
Then it hit me. I started a little internal monologue.
Of course it’s “right” to give thanks to God and lift up our hearts to Him, but why are we talking about it being “just”?
Well, what’s the virtue justice mean anyway?
Justice is giving to others what is due to them.
If God is our Creator and Love itself, then of course it’s just to worship Him.
So, why emphasize that it’s “right and just” to “give thanks to the Lord our God”?
If God is our all-knowing Creator and Love itself, then of course He knows what is best for us–even when it doesn’t make sense to our tiny little brains.
God loves Thérèse even more than I do, and my heart aches that I can’t have the life I envisioned with her, but God knows that this hurt is for a greater good. I might not understand it all now, and that’s okay, but in the meantime, it is “right and just” for me to “give thanks to the Lord our God” in my want. Like the widows in the readings, I need to “give (thanks) in my want” and remember that it is “right and just” to “give thanks to the Lord our God.”
How appropriate that I pieced the meaning of this prayer in preparation for the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith, which interestingly enough, actually means “thanksgiving.” Approaching that summit, I envisioned myself in that car “shifting into overdrive” like Father talked about in his homily. As I approached Christ in the Eucharist Sunday, I gave to Him in my want. I cried tears for our baby Thérèse, and I prayed, “God, in my want, accept our sweet Thérèse into Your heavenly kingdom. Help me to give thanks to You in my want, and help me to make my own life an offering to you.”
With that thought in mind, the choir director asked the congregation to open their hymnals to “The Cry of the Poor” for the Communion Hymn.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Blessed be the Lord.
I will bless the Lord at all times.
With praise every in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the Lord.
Who will hear the cry of the poor.
This time, I cried tears of joy in the knowledge that our loving God heard the cry of this poor servant.
